COMMON INSTRUMENTATION AREA AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT UNIT

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. CIAS has had a pivotal role in providing the infrastructure necessary to develop strong research programs that would otherwise be impossible at this small university. In particular, CIAS is a core area housing major equipment and the centralized cell culture facility. CIAS fosters equipment sharing, centralizes maintenance of equipment and provides repair for the equipment of all the projects. There are currently two technicians to see to the needs of the scientific community at UCC; An electronics technician and a machine shop operator handyman. The CIAS continues to be indispensable for the maintenance and future development of research at this institution. In this proposal, we requested funding to continue to conserve and upgrade the existing facilities and resources initially funded by RCMI including the common instrumentation, the electronics shop and the machine shop. In addition, we requested money to provide a temporary solution to the problem of limitations of space for research laboratories by renting trailers for laboratory space while we secure funding for a permanent addition to the UCC. Since receiving funding 5 years ago, we have provided laboratory space for two new investigators and have replaced obsolete equipment including a scintillation counter, a refrigerated table top centrifuge and a high speed refrigerated centrifuge. Moreover, we have developed and implemented a facilities monitoring system to continuously monitor the status of incubators, refrigerators and freezers. Three phases of this system are completely finished. These monitor the CIAS equipment, the repository freezers and other equipment housed in the basement, and the equipment of the Departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Pharmacology. The fourth phase of the system to monitor the Departments of Physiology and Anatomy is underway and expected to be completed in the next two months. The elements detailed above form the basis of our plan to maintain, fortify and expand our infrastructure for scientific research.